Effectiveness of anger management games on behavioral and anger symptoms of children with hyperactivity/attention deficit disorder

Abstract

Background: Hyperactivity/attention deficit disorder is the most common neurobehavioral disorders in childhood usually diagnosed before the age of seven. Since anger is a part of the people's life, the children need to learn how to deal with their anger. This project was performed aiming to determine the effectiveness of anger management games on behavioral and anger symptoms of the children with hyperactivity/attention deficit disorder. Methods: This study is a semi-experimental research with a pre-test and post-test design conducted by using a control group. The statistical population includes 40 students aged between 7 and 13 with hyperactivity/attention deficit disorder in Najafabad, Iran referred to child and adolescent psychiatric clinic in Isfahan city (Iran). They were selected as in-available and after verifying the diagnosis by a child and adolescent subspecialist psychiatrist and placed in two test and control groups, randomly. The intervention method included a collection of Anger Management Games. The research tool included Children ׳s Inventory of Anger Questionnaire as well as Parent and Teacher Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. The data was analyzed through the statistical analysis method of covariance using SPSS software. Findings: The results showed that there is a significant difference between the subjects in test and control groups in terms of anger scores (F = 6.99, P = 0,001). The value of impact or difference was 0.159. Moreover based on the parents’ or teachers’ views, there is a significant difference between subjects in test and control groups regarding emotional scores, behavioral problems, hyperactivity, problems with their peers, and social problems. Conclusion: Anger management games were effective on anger, behavioral, emotional and relational symptoms of children with hyperactivity/attention deficit disorder; utilizing these games as a novel supplementary method by the children is recommended due to the ease of use and low cost. © 2016, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences(IUMS). All rights reserved.